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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/25520629">Reunion.</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/lightsofblue/pseuds/lightsofblue'>lightsofblue</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Avatar: The Last Airbender</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>F/M, Zutara Month 2020, Zutara Week</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-07-26</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-07-26</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-05 07:01:16</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>751</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/25520629</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/lightsofblue/pseuds/lightsofblue</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Toph reunites Katara and Zuko.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Katara &amp; Zuko (Avatar), Katara/Zuko (Avatar)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>2</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>61</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Collections:</b></td><td>Zutara Week 2020</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Reunion.</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Anxious breathing, rapid pulse, uncontrollable tapping, excessive movement.</p><p>Toph, from her position, she noticed all those details. The rest of the people in the room probably hadn't noticed that Katara was uneasy, or maybe they attributed her condition to the situation that was about to be discussed. </p><p>Toph considered making up an excuse to get Katara out of that room, asking her what was going on, maybe?  But before she could make any excuse, she noticed the steps of three other people, approaching from the corridor. She recognized one immediately: Zuko. She assumed that her doubts about Katara being so nervous would have to wait until the end of the meeting.<br/>
The Dai Li announced the arrival of the fire lord, and before Zuko greeted them all, she sensed in him the same thing she was sensing in Katara: anxious breathing, uncontrolled pulse. </p><p>The question was why? Were they aware of something that the rest ignored? Toph couldn't say, but that they were both behaving the same way didn't seem like a coincidence to her.</p><p>Toph kept quiet and preferred, as always, to listen.</p><p>The council began by announcing the problem: pirates. They were attacking numerous important ports in the fire nation, the earth kingdom and the water tribes.</p><p>Toph divided her attention between the council's explanations of the attacks and the reactions of Zuko and Katara. After half an hour of conversation she made it clear that a) Zuko never addressed Katara when he spoke. b) Katara never addressed Zuko when she spoke either. c) They were deliberately ignoring each other. </p><p>Toph’s curiosity only increased.</p><p>"What does Miss Beifong think?"</p><p>"They seem to have an established route, they attack ports on major import dates, so we must leave them a decoy." Said Toph, who had considered that just some minutes before.</p><p>"Can you give us any more details?" asked the minister of security.</p><p>"I don't have them." Toph replied, in all honesty, "But if we take a short break I can offer you a detailed plan." She added, smiling at the idea she had suddenly had. </p><p>Everyone present agreed. In an hour they would return to that room and Toph would speak to them with a more precise idea.<br/>
Everyone began to leave, including Zuko and Katara, who kept their distance from one another.</p><p>"Katara, you know everything about water tribe ports. And you Zuko, about the ports in the fire nation. Stay, I'll need your help." They both started making excuses, but Toph insisted enough and they had no choice but to accept. </p><p>She made them sit down next to her, to start discussing the “strategy.” </p><p>"All right. First, most importantly... What's wrong with you guys? She asked, straight out, they only had an hour, and Toph had priorities.</p><p>"Nothing." They both answered in unison, disgusted. Toph crossed her arms.</p><p>"You guys remember I can tell when someone is lying, right? And both of you are lying right now." </p><p>They were silent, but their pulses were still raging.</p><p>"Well?" insisted Toph. "We don't have all day." </p><p>"Let Zuko answer, I'm sure he has a good explanation." Katara said, annoyed.</p><p>"Right, because Karata’s incapable of responding to anything even if you send her letters for a whole month, she won't respond to any of them." Zuko attacked.</p><p>"You can't answer letters that were never sent, Zuko."</p><p>"Are you accusing me of being a liar?"</p><p>"I NEVER RECEIVED ANY LETTERS."</p><p>"DIDN'T YOU THINK MAYBE SOMETHING HAPPENED ON THE WAY? SOMETHING THAT HAD NOTHING TO DO WITH ME. YOU ALWAYS THINK THE WORST OF ME."</p><p>"THAT'S NOT TRUE, I LOVED YOU."</p><p>"Wait, were you guys dating?" The argument had escalated so quickly that Toph had gotten a little lost, but now she understood everything, apparently. </p><p>"Not anymore." Zuko said, in a very low voice. There was much sadness in his voice. Toph decided she preferred to hear him scream.</p><p>"I'm so sorry you had to hear this, Toph." Katara apologized, though she seemed to want to apologize for something else.</p><p>"Not anymore? Common guys. I think there's been a misunderstanding and you should talk about it." The earthbender said.</p><p>Katara and Zuko said nothing, so Toph just walked out of the room. </p><p>"Talk about your business. I'll be back in about forty minutes. I hope you'll be able to apologize and forgive each other." </p><p>Toph left the room. They stayed. </p><p>***</p><p>When she returned, they were both standing next to each other. No more uneasy breathing. No more ignoring each other. Toph smiled.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>comments, suggestions are welcome! 💖</p></blockquote></div></div>
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